he sand!
The endless sand, stretching in every direction as far as the eye
can see. The unforgiving sun blasts down on my parched, weary
body as I stagger on, hoping beyond hope for an end to this
nightmare. Damn it all Carruthers, I cant take much more.
Oh sorry! That was last years holiday in Weston-Super-Mare.
Meanwhile back in Florida.

I dont rise until 7:30AM.
Hey, Im allowed a lie in, I was up to 11:30PM last night
watching the football and drinking beer.
Like 7:30 is a lie in! All this early to bed and early to rise
stuff is just not right.
Breakfast is the closest we come to healthy eating on holiday as
it consists of cereal and toast.

At 8:45AM the bikes are out again and we
cycle off down Middle Gulf Drive. There is a little cycle trail
just off Algiers Lane with a nature trail and a small cemetery.
We are desperate to see an alligator and everyone has their eyes
peeled. The cemetery is tiny and looks like it has been
transplanted from the Haunted Mansion.

On to Tarpon Bay Road where there is a
nature trail called the Bailey Tract. We cycle round but fail to
see an alligator. We do see some large black birds circling round
and then swooping down into the water to fish and an osprey sat
up high and calling to anyone that cares to listen. For a large
bird it really does make a lovely sound.

India is starting to get tired and
complain that her bottom is hurting from the cycle saddle.
Disregarding her complaints entirely we push on along West Gulf
Drive. Horrible parents, arent we?

As Georgia and I cycle along in front,
someone shouts from behind and we stop and go back to see an
alligator sunning itself on the bank of a small pond right in
front of a big hotel. All this hunting for alligators through
miles of wilderness and we find one sitting outside a Gulf front
resort. Perhaps he was thinking of using the hot tub.

Along the road a bit further and we come
to the Rabbit Road Trail which winds behind some stunning houses
set alongside a lake. Mind you, nearly all the houses here are
stunning. Havent they heard of two up, two down?
As we cycle along, India suddenly shouts out and we all pull up
to a halt in an undignified heap. There in the water is an
alligator floating along. At one point he is no more than 10 feet
from us. There is something about seeing an animal in its natural
habitat that is both thrilling and fascinating. I could watch it
all day.

Back on the bikes we cycle to a small mall
and stop for ice cream. Of course, Tam has to go over the top by
having a frozen custard with hot fudge sundae and Reeses pieces.
She then confesses that she watched the sunrise this morning
while eating a chocolate bar. Pig!
The women do a little shopping while I sit on a bench and catch
up on my trip report and gaze out at another beautiful, cloudless
sky.

Back to the condo and I estimate that we
have done about 15 miles in 4 hours. This is the perfect place to
cycle. Everywhere is flat so your legs dont seem to get
tired. The cycle is king here. Whenever a cycle path crosses a
road or entrance, the car must give way by law.

A short swim and we are refreshed and
ready to go again.

This time we are off in the van to
Bowmans Beach, which is supposed to be among the best
beaches in South West Florida.
You park in a wooded area and cross a river by bridge to reach
the beach. It certainly doesnt disappoint, as the sand at
the top of the beach is white and powdery. Further down there are
so many shells you couldnt begin to count. There are no
hotels or condos behind the beach, only trees. The whole effect
is of a tropical island.
We pass an hour here, paddling and shelling.

As we leave, India looks back and says
Look a dolphin. We all look but cant see
anything. I am just about to tell her she must have been mistaken
when a fin breaks the surface and a dolphin arches through the
water. We all rush back down to the waters edge and catch the
occasional glimpse as the dolphins make their way down the coast.
I cant believe our luck. We have seen alligators and
dolphins in one day.

Back in the van we head to Blind Pass for
a quick look around before driving on to Captiva.

Now this place is much more compact than
Sanibel and actually seems to have an old town centre. We park up
at the Mucky Duck and have a drink before wandering into the town
for a look around. It is only a small place but there are a
number of nice shops and restaurants. The colours are primarily
pastel and it reminds me a lot of Key West. It has the same sort
of relaxed atmosphere.

It is approaching sunset, so we make our
way back to the Mucky Duck were we share a pitcher of beer and
listen to a man playing the guitar while watching the sun slip
lower in the sky. As it approaches the horizon we make our way
down to the beach, along with many other people. The sky grows
redder as the sun slides gently into the sea. I dare say there
are better places to watch the sunset, but I havent found
them yet.

Back at the Mucky Duck we have another
half hour wait until our table is ready. When we are seated, Tam
has teriyaki steak and I have Captiva chicken. (Chicken with a
tomato and garlic sauce.) The food is good but not exceptional.
For dessert Tam and I share a walnut brownie with hot fudge
sauce. This comes with the usual mountain of ice cream and
whipped cream. Very nice.

We leave the Mucky Duck at 7:45PM for the
10 mile drive back to our condo.
One thing I have forgotten to mention is that the maximum speed
limit on the island is 35 mph. This adds to the feeling that you
shouldnt rush around, take your time, enjoy the trip.

Back at the condo the ladies play cards
while I hit the beer and the trip report.

My God, is it 9:30PM already? Must be time
for bed! Well, it is for the ladies, but I sit on the balcony
with a beer and think on life. Then I wander down to the beach
and gaze at the stars shining bright in a cloudless sky.
Magnificent. A perfect end to a perfect day.